This invention relates to beds, and particularly to bedside grab bars or posts by means of which users of the beds can assist themselves getting in and out.
A problem for some infirm persons, particularly those who are not receiving extensive or full time assistance, as in a hospital, is getting into and out of a bed by themselves. This problem is frequently encountered in retirement and nursing homes, for example, where the residents are fit enough to generally fend for themselves but are generally relatively weak and somewhat incapacitated. The problem is also encountered by the elderly residing in their own homes. I have observed that, in many instances, the addition of some sort of hand post or rail on or near the bed would be of great use for enabling an enfeebled person to get into and out of bed without assistance.
The use of bed gates which can be used as hand holds is well known. Hospital beds, for example, typically include such gates which, however, are used primarily to prevent patients from falling out of bed. As such, the gates extend substantially the full lengths of the beds and include relatively complex mechanisms allowing retraction of the gates by a person assisting the patient. Because of the complexity and extend of such gates, they tend to be quite expensive as well as not serving the above-described self-assistance function.
Similarly, rails are used in bunk beds and the like. Again, these rails are primarily for retaining the user within the bed and, because they are disposed generally along a central portion of the bed, require same degree of agility by a person getting into and out of the bed and around the bed rail.
A need exists, therefore, for a bedside post whose position along the length of a bed may be adjusted to accommodate the user. The bedside post is preferably located adjacent to one end, preferably the head end, of the bed, which post is fixedly positioned, thereby requiring no manipulation either by the user or an assistant, and not interfering with movements of the user onto or off the bed.